It’s estimated that $20.2 million in investments by the City of Virginia Beach in replenishment efforts along the Resort Area Beach since 2002 have averted more than $1 billion in storm-related damages.
Oceanfront Beach Replenishment 2025
The 2025 replenishment project began in late January along the Resort Area Beach between 15th and 45th Street. It’s a mitigation and environmental sustainability effort restoring eroded coastal areas damaged by severe climate conditions, such as storms, winds, waves and flooding.
With the last beach replenishment effort carried out in 2019, the City is following its beach replenishment implementation schedule of every five to seven years to protect and preserve our coastline.
The Virginia Beach Oceanfront will remain open during the replenishment project outside the orange safety fenced areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Beach replenishment is a storm damage reduction and environmental sustainability effort used to restore eroded coastal areas damaged by severe climate conditions, such as storms, winds, waves and flooding.
By depositing beach-quality sand along the shoreline, a beach replenishment can raise or expand a beach, while also directing the shoreline seaward.
The primary function of the beach replenishment is to provide storm damage reduction protection to safeguard the City’s pump stations, seawall, and commercial and residential property, along with other infrastructure that would be subject to flooding without such an environmental measure.
In addition, beach replenishment improves the beach environment for recreational activity. It’s estimated that replenishment initiatives along the Resort Area Beach since 2002 have prevented more than $1 billion in storm-related damages.
On Dec. 30, the City of Virginia Beach and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) began moving equipment onto the beach at 37th Street.
On Jan. 29, the contractor, Manson Construction Co., will begin placing sand along the first segment of beach from approximately 20th Street moving southward to 15th Street. Once that section is complete, sand placement will move from 20th Street northward to approximately 45th Street.
Following completion of replenishment on the Resort Area Beach, the contractor will move to the Croatan Beach area and sand placement there is scheduled to be completed by June 24 followed by a week of equipment demobilization.
Yes. The beach will be open during the replenishment outside the orange safety fenced areas.
The project runs between 15th Street and 45th Street and crews will work in 1500-foot sections and can typically complete 300 to 500 feet of beach each day, depending on the weather and equipment.
- Helps defend the coastline against storms.
- Widens beaches and coastlines, restoring the beach after erosion.
- Creates better conditions for recreation, attracting vacationers and economic development.
- Increases land value of adjacent properties.
- Since 2002, it’s estimated that replenishment projects have prevented more than $1 billion in storm-related damages for the City.
Once complete, 950,000 cubic yards of sand will be added to our beach. At high tide, the beach is roughly 300 feet wide. The replenishment project will add approximately 100 more feet of sand.
The replenishment sand will be dredged from the Atlantic Ocean Channel offshore and pumped onto the beach through a submerged pipeline.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is deepening the channel for use by large container vessels calling on the Port of Virginia. Reusing the sand saves taxpayer dollars and reduces roadway traffic.
Crews will be working around the clock to complete the project as fast as possible. Impacts directly behind a hotel or other property shouldn’t last longer than a day and a half, depending on weather and other factors.
Crews will try to limit the backing up of heavy equipment at night to reduce noise levels, but backup alarms are required for the safety of the work crews and other individuals in the area.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) leads the partnership and has contributed $13.3 million (65% of the total cost of $20.2 million) with the City’s investment of $7.07 million (35% of total and taxpayer dollars).
It’s estimated that replenishment initiatives along the Resort Area Beach since 2002 have prevented more than $1 billion in storm-related damages.
The most recent replenishment was completed in December 2019, when 1.4 million cubic yards of sand was added between 15th and 70th Street. This widened the shoreline to 300 feet and increased it to nine feet above sea level.
The total cost was $22.6 million, with the USACE contributing $14.7 million.
Beachgoers can expect to see the hopper dredge just offshore where the sand will be pumped through a submerged pipeline and discharged on the beach as a sand-slurry mixture. Earth-moving equipment such as bulldozers will grade the sand into place.
The sand may initially appear dark and contain organic material, which could cause a slight “fishy” smell. Within a few days the sun will lighten the sand and the smell will subside.
Projects
Updated Oct. 1, 2024
The capital improvement program (CIP) funding for the nourishment and subsequent renourishments of Chesapeake Beach first appeared in the fiscal year 2012-13 budget.
The initial beach nourishment of Chesapeake Beach occurred in May 2018, where about 384,000 cubic yards of sand were placed along the Chesapeake Beach shoreline to reestablish the dune system and enhance the beach berm profile.
The first renourishment began on June 25, 2024. The contract was awarded to Seaward Marine Corporation (SMC), to place 105,000 cubic yards of sand between Lee Avenue and the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek. An additional 32,745 cubic yards of sand was added to the contract volume total to account for additional shoreline erosion.
The total contract price has been awarded in the amount of $2.06 million for the renourishment project. The original contract completion date for this project was Oct. 14, 2024. In order to allow SMC to place the additional sand, the contract completion date has been extended to Jan. 14, 2025. SMC is allowed to temporarily shut down work when the seas are rough.
SMC is currently progressing in an easterly direction towards the 4400 block of Ocean View Avenue and have completed beach nourishment up to Mortons Road. Once SMC completes the beach renourishment east of Lee Avenue, they will then transfer their equipment to the 4900 block of Bay Bridge Lane.
To date, about 57% of the total contract volume has been placed on the beach. SMC will then conduct the remainder of the beach renourishment project progressing towards the western limit of project (i.e., the 5070 block of Guy Avenue). This portion of the project is currently scheduled to begin as early as mid-October.
SMC is closing between 500-750 feet of beach sections to safely construct the beach berm and protect the beach going public from the ongoing construction activities. Per the contract, SMC is allowed to work 24 hour per day, seven days a week.
Any questions about the project may be directed to Mr. Rommel Tamayo, P.E., through email at rtamayo@vbgov.com or by phone at 757-385-4511.
The Beach Erosion Control and Hurricane Protection Project partnership between the City of Virginia Beach and the USACE at Sandbridge Beach was authorized by Section 101(22) of the Water Resources Development Act of 1992, Public Law 102-580 as amended.
Although the initial nourishment occurred in 1998 (100% City funded), three renourishments were able to occur as a result of the Aug. 19, 2002, Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between the City and the USACE. The PCA allows for a 65%-35% cost share between the USACE and the City for renourishment projects.
However, the Federal cost share percentage and subsequently the ability to fund the project is based on Federal appropriations. To date, a total of four beach nourishment efforts have been conducted since 1998. The total volume of sand place is 7.4 million cubic yards. The fifth beach renourishment project took place in 2020 along the 5-mile shoreline. About 1.7 million cubic yards of sand were deposited on the beach between Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and Dam Neck Naval Facility.
The total project cost was $20.3 million. The USACE secured $3 million dollars in Federal funding for the project. The remainder of the funding requirement was paid through the established Sandbridge Special Service District funds.
The last replenishment project took place in 2019, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) deposited 1.4 million cubic yards of sand between 15th and 70th Street, widening the shoreline to 300 feet and raising it to nine feet above sea level.
The total replenishment cost was $22.6 million, with the USACE contributing $14.7 million.